1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing and clubs and other accessories used in dispatching and gaffing of fish and extracting hooks from fish. In particularly, the present invention relates to a unique device providing a combination accessory for dispatching a fish, gaffing a fish, or extracting a hook from a fish.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In fishing, especially saltwater fishing, clubs are used in stunning or killing a fish to dispatch the fish prior to landing the fish onto a boat. Further, once a fish is dispatched there is a need to gaff the fish and pull the fish onto the deck of the boat. Once the fish is on the boat, a further need exists to remove the hook from the fish""s throat.
A large fish can be dangerous when trying to place the fish onto the deck of a boat. A large fish does not weigh much when submerged within the water because the buoyancy effect of the water actually makes the fish almost weightless when in the water. However, the full weight of the fish must be contended with once it is out of the water. It can be readily appreciated that a large fish of great weight such as 25 to 100 pounds cannot easily be lifted out of the water and into the boat. The posture of the person attempting the task adds to its difficulty. The person is usually leaning over the railing of the boat precariously without the ability to a good position for lifting. The lashing about of the fish further makes the task difficult. The fish might lash about and possibly stab a fisherman with the spine of his fin or come loose and be lost after much effort. Fish can be very heavy and difficult to handle while hanging on the line with a hook in the fish""s mouth, especially if the fish is moving violently.
Once a large fish is safely brought up out of the water and into a boat, other problems arise. Since the fish is alive and large, its natural survival instincts are to continue to move about which sometimes causes the fish to jump out of the boat back into the water. The violently moving fish can also be a danger to the people within the boat, possibly causing a person to be thrown overboard or possibly causing physical injuries due to sharp teeth, sharp fins, sharp gills, and sharp scales.
After a fish has been caught by using a fish hook, it is desirable to extract and recover the fish hook which may be lodged in the lip, mouth, or deep in the throat of the fish. However, this can be a difficult as well as dangerous task. Both the hook and the fish are potentially hazardous to the fisherman. In particular, the fish may have sharp teeth in its mouth and sharp spines in its fins, and the fish hook will generally have a sharp barbed point. Consequently, needs arise means to easily and safely handle fish and fish hooks. Clubs, gaffs, and fish hook removers have been available for years to meet these needs, but a need still exists for simple and reliable devices for use in dispatching and landing fish, and removing hooks from them.
There is limited area in the marine environment of a boat and in the tackle boxes and containers used in storing fishing gear. Presently, separate tools are commonly needed for performing the functions of dispatching a fish and then landing the fish and removing the hook therefrom. For instance, a length of a rod, flat stock, or even a more advanced club as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,296 to Frederiksen may be used to stun or kill the fish. A gaff consisting of a handle having a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped member at one end may assist the fisherman in supporting the weight of a fish when lifting the fish out of the water. And yet, another tool is used by the fisherman as means for gripping a fish hook and facilitating the removal thereof from the mouth or throat of a fish. These separate tools contribute to the using up of the valuable space available to the fisherman. Obviously, it would be advantageous to save valuable space and also not have the inconvenience of locating these various separate tools during fishing.
What is needed is a combination fishing accessory that is designed and to dispatch a fish as well as perform the subsequent function of removing a hook from the fish""s throat or gaffing the fish. As will be seen, the present invention achieves its intended purposes, objectives and advantages by accomplishing the needs as identified above, through a new, useful and unobvious combination of elements.
An object, advantage, and feature of the present invention is to provide a novel tool and accessory for use by fishermen that is practical, versatile, and efficient in use that lends itself to the seemingly contradictory duties of dispatch, retrieval of a fish, and removal of a hook from the fish that is caught.
Another object is to provide a novel and improved construction of a fish club that is effective in the dispatch of a fish and provides in combination a hook extractor or gaff to provide a multifunction device that saves space and provides additional convenience. Therefore, the present device provides an elongate club with handle having a hook removing portion on the end opposing the handle that is especially adapted for gaffing a fish or for removing a hook from a fish""s throat. The hook removing portion is shaped angularly to slide easily into a fish""s throat and has a slot for receiving a line or hook and grabbing or engaging the hook firmly to remove the hook from the fish""s throat. Backward barbs or slits on the hook removing portion may grab or engage a hook for extraction or be used to gaff the fish during retrieval. The combination provides a substantial improvement over existing practices by combining several functions into a single device and eliminating the inconvenience of storing a club, gaff, and hook removal tool separately and then locating each tool at the time needed.
For further understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.